Method of flanging can bodies and flanging head for carrying out the same



une@ 11, 1928. 1,695,232

H. A. FINK METHOD OF FLANGING CAN BODIES AND FLANGING HEAD FOR CARRYING OUT THE SAME' Filed March 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 1l, 1928. 1,695,232'

A H. A. FINK METHOD OF FLANGING CAN BODIES AND FLANGING HEAD FOR CARRYING OUT THE SAME Filed MarCh 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 attorney S Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES "lJAfET OFFICE.

HENRY A. FINK, OF sYRACUsE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CONTINENTAL CAN OOM- PANY, INC., 0F lVEii YORK, NA Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

METHOD OE FLANGING CAN BODIES AND FLANGING HEAD FOR CARRYING OUT THE SAME.

Application iled March 2G, 1925. Serial No. 18,428.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in flanging heads for turning flanges on a can body, and to the method of shaping` the flanges on said body.

An object of the invention is to provide a flanging head with a die adapted to enter the can body and simultaneously turn a flange on the end thereof throughout the entire ein tent of the body, whichflanging head is also provided with means for limiting the Vextent to which the flange is turned, and means for engaging` both sides of the turned flange for shapingthe same into a predetermined form.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flanging head of the above type with a sectional limiting and bumping ring, which may be opened so as to permit the flange after it is formed being withdrawn from the flanging head.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a method of forming a flange on the can body, wherein the entire end of the can body is turned outwardly to a limited extent to form aflange and wherein both sides of the flange are positively shaped so as to form a predetermined flange and also to form flanges which are uniform in shape andsize.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention- Figure l is a sectional View through the center of a machine showing two of the flanging heads, one of which is about to enter the in body for flangiug the end thereof, and the other as having turned and formed its flange.

F 2 is a view showing more or less diagrannnatically t-he arrangement of the flanging head in a continuous rotating machine, and also the manner of moving the sectional portions of the head relative to the can body, and n Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showing the final shaping of the flange.

The invention is preferably embodied in a machine of the general type of thatgranted August 8, 1916, to L. C. Krummel, No. 1,194,038, except that the flanging head of the present invention forms and completes the flange in one operation, and therefore, there is onljrT one rotating turret carrying the ing heads. It is not thought necessary to describe the entire machine, and applicant has merely shown and described the new features on the fianging head.

ln making can bodies, particularly those known tothe trade as an open top can, the cylindrical body portion is first made, after which each end is provided with a small. flange extending at substantial right angles to the cylindrical wall of the body portion. The bottom portion of the can is secured to the can body by a double scam formed by rolling a flange on the can body into a seam with the metal of the can end therefor. The other can end is secured to the body portion in a similar manner, after the can is filled. These double seams have to be made very accurately in order to form a tight joint so that the can when closed will. not leak. It is also desirable that these flanges shall be as small as possible, and the can ends secured tothe body portions as small in diameter as possible, so that a minimum amount of metal may beuesd in the making of the can. Billions of cansof the type referred to are made each season, and any little saving in the metal when multiplied by such numbers, amounts to a great deal. It has been found in practice that many of the leaks in cans are caused by imperfectly formed seams which have been due to the improper formation of the flange on the body of the can. One reason whythe flanges have been improperly formed has been due to t-he fact that the metal varies in hardness, and sometimes in thickness, and therefore, it cannot be relied upon to shape itself into a proper flange merely by a die applied internally of the can body.

The present invention is directed to a method of flanging the can end, wherein the flange is positively controlled throughout the entire formation thereof, so that the flange may be turned at substantial right angles to the outer face of the body of the can, and to a predetermined extent, thus forming flanges of uniform dimensions at all times. This has been accomplished by a flanging head which has a turning die adapted to ent-er the open end of the can body, and engage the end thereof for rolling the metal outwardly into a flange, and by providing a limiting ring or wall which will stop the outward movement of the metal when the flange is of proper width, and in addition to this,providing a f sectional bumping ring which is adapted to engage the one face of' the flange while the other face of' the flange is engaged by the head carrying the die, and thus the flange is properly shaped.

rlhe method and apparatus will possibly be better understood by a brief reference to the drawings, which illustrate the novel features of a flanging head for carrying out the method. The machine includes a central shaft 1 which extends from one side of the machine to the other. Mounted on and carried by this rotating shaft are four flanging heads at each side of the machine, making in all eight Hanging heads. These flanging heads operate in pairs so as to form a {iange at both ends of the can body at the same time. This is the general arrangement of the structure of the turrets shown in the Krummel patent above referred to. Mounted on the shaft 1 and turning therewith is a support 2 which carries all the fianging heads at one side of the machine, and a similar support at the other side on which the other flanging heads are mounted. rlhe flanging head includes a sleeve 3, and this sleeve 3 is mounted on the support 2 so that it may move endwise thereon, At the lett-hand end of the sleeve there is a roller 4 which eX- tends laterally from the sleeve and engages in a cam groove 5 formed in a stationary cam 6. In Fig. 1, a section is taken through the upper and lower flanging heads, and as they are similar in construction, a description of one will answer for the other, the only diil'erence being that the cam groove has shifted the sleeve in the lower portion off Y the view so as to move the head proper of the flanging head to its extreme movement to the right, This sleeve carries a head portion which is also provided with a cap or cover part 8. In between this cap and the head is a sectional forming plate 9. This sectional forming plate preferably is made in four sections as shown in Fig. 2, and these sections are so shaped that when they are moved into closed position, they form one continuous piece, in effect, and when moved to open position, they will be slightly spaced from each other. Said sections are moved from open to closed position and vice versa by means of a controlling` ring 10, which controlling ring is provided with pins l1 which extend into inclined slots 12 formed in each section of the forming ring. There are :four inclined slots and four pins which engage the same. These sectional members of the `training ring are located between the end of cap plate 8 and the head 7 of the fianging hea-d, and are adapted to slide in grooves formed in said head. The ring 10 is located Vin a recess formed in the flanging head 7.

Said ring is provided with an outwardly eX- tending arm 13 carrying a roller 14 adapted to cooperate with the stationary member whereby said ring is oscillated to a limited extent and moves the segments of the forming ring radially of the flanging head.

Located within the sleeve 2 is a stem 15 on which a die head 16 is mounted. Said die head is larger in diameter than the stem. The stem at its outer end carries a roller 17 which runs in a groove 18 in the stationary member 6, and as the machine rotates, this stem will be moved out and in, that is, relative to the sleeve 2 and also with the sleeve as it reciprocates. llhe die head 16 has a tapered portion 19 which enters the can body, but does not engage the can body, any more than to center it if it is slightly off center. At the base ot' the die head there is a cylindrical portion 2O of larger diameter than the can body to be flanged. Bctween this tapered portion 19 and the cylindrical portion 2O there is a forming die 2l which is of such size relative to the diameter of the can body, that the can body will pass over the die and along the die, said die being curved so as to cause the metal to flow outwardly into the flange. The die head 16 is also provided with a portion 22 which is of slightly less diameter than the portion 21 so as to make proper clearance for the metal. The forming ring 9 is provided with an inner face 23 which is cylindrical and serves as a limiting wall for limiting the flow of the metal by its contact with the die shaping part 21, and thus determine the width of the flange formed in the can body. It will be understood, of course, that these sectional members of the ring are moved to closed position as shown in the lower part of Fig. 1, when the flange is being formed. Each of the sections ot the forming ring is provided with a shoulder 24; which projects inwardly from the limiting suritace 23. The parts are in the position shown in the lower half of Fig. 1 when the entire Hanging head is moved forward through the action of the rolls l and 17 running in the cam grooves in the stationary member 6. It is understood, of course, that the other Hanging head of the pair moves forward at the same time, and these Hanging heads enter the can body indicated in the drawings at I3, so that the fianges at the opposite ends oi' the body are simultaneously formed. The can body does not have to be clamped in any way, as one head operates to prevent endwise movement of the body through the Hanging action oitl the other head. In other words, both flanging heads move together ou to the can body. The end of the can body moves in between the forming ring and the die head until its extreme edge comes in Contact with the die 21, which causes the metal simultaneously throughout the entire extent of the can body, to flow outwardly, and said metal will continue to flow outwardly until it strikes the limiting wall 23. It it should happen that llltl the metal at one end of the can body is harder than itis at the other, then one flange might form before the other forms, but as soon as the edge of the metal abuts against the forming ring, then of course, the other end of the can body will have its flange formed. It is noted that when the metal flows out into contact with the limiting ring, it passes in behind the shoulder or abutment 24. The sleeve 3 is timed in its movements so as to move to the left as viewed in Fig. l aftei the flange has been turned, and this causes` the shoulder to engage the inner or right-hand face of the flange on the end of the can body, while the outer or left-hand face of the flange is in engagement with the vertical wall of the flanging die 2l. Both the inner and outer faces of the flange are now subject to a shaping action, which insures that the flange shall stand at a proper angle to the body portion, with the shoulder at the inner edge of the flange, which shoulder joins the flange to the can body, properly shaped, to give the best efficiency in the rolling of the flange into a double seam. It will be noted that the flange is therefore under control during the turning of the flange and the shaping of the flange, and this control is positive, and will always make the flange of the same shape and width, regardless of any varying of the quality or character `of the metal forming the can body. By having these flanges made uniform, the can ends which are attached to the body in the attaching of the bottom' and the closing of the can body, may be made of the minimum amount. of metal without danger of forming a leak in the finished seam. g'

It will be noted that the inner face of each of the segments of the bumping ring are curved on a circle, the radius of which is the radiusV of the external curved surface on the can body which is to be flanged. Therefore, when these segments are forced inwardly they will come to a position close up to the can body underneath the flange and this will cause the entire inner face of the flange to be subject to shaping by the bumping ring. After the flange has been turned, the internal or die shaping half of the flanging head is withdrawn .slightly before these segments are opened, and therefore, the segments will operate to strip the can body from the opposite inner flanging head'or die. After this, the segments are moved to open position so that upon further movement of the flanging hea-d, the outer portion thereof, or the bumping ring, will readily pass over the flange and thus entirely free the can body so that it may be ejected from the machine.

It is obvious that other ways of operating the parts and forming the flange may be utilized than those described` specifically above, as the invention is directed broadly to the method of forming aflange which is and also to a Istructure broadly for carryingv out said method. s

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is l h 1. A flanging head for can bodies including a flange turning die having means for engaging the outer face of the flange when it is formed, means for limiting the width of the flange formed on the can body, means for engaging the inner face of the formed flange, and means for moving said last-named means relative to the flanging head for shaping the flange into a predetermined form.

2. `A flanging head for can bodies including a flange turning die, means for supporting and moving said flange turning die into the can body to be flanged, said flange turning die having means for engaging the outer face of the formed flange, means for limiting the width of the flange turned on the can body by the movement of the flange turning die, means for engaging the inner face of the flange, and means for moving said 1astnamed means into engagement with the inner face of the flange whereby said flange is forced against the portion of the flange turning die engaging the outer face of the flange for shaping the same into a predetermined form. c

3. A flanging head for can bodies including av moving support, a sleeve mounted on said support,a stationary cam for moving lthe sleeve endwise as the support moves, a

reciprocating member located `within said sleeve, means for reciprocating said member as the support moves, aflange turning die carried by said member, a sectional bumper l ring carried by said sleeve, said die operating Vuponthe reciprocation thereof to simultaneously form a flange all the way around the end of the can body, said bumper ring `having' means for limiting the width of the turned flange, and means cooperating with the flanging head carrying the die for engaging both faces of the `flange and shaping the same into a predetermined form.

4. A flanging head for can bodies including a moving support, V'a sleeve mounted on said support, a stationary cam for moving the sleeve endwise as the support moves, a

reciprocating member located within said sleeve, means for reciprocating said member asthe support moves, a fla-nge turning die carried by said member, a sectional bumper ring carried by said sleeve, said die operating upon the reciprocation thereof to simultaneously form a flange all the wayy around the end of the can body, said bumper ring having means for limiting the width ofthe turned flange, means cooperating with the flanging head carrying' the die for engaging linto a predeteri the bumper ring being curved at their inner both faces of the-Hangs and shaping the same ined form, the sections of ciprocating member located Within said sleeve, means reciprocating said member as the support moves, flange turning die carried by said member, a sectional bumper ring carried by said sleeve, said die operating upon the reciprocation thereof to simultaneously form a flange all the Way around the end of the can body, said bumper ring having means for limiting the Width of the turned flange, means cooperating with the Hanging head carrying the die for engaging both faces of the flange and shaping the same into a predetermined form, means for moving the sections of the bumper ring to closed position around the can body, and to open position to permit the ring to pass over the flange, said sectional bumper ring being timed so as to remain substantially in closed position, untilA the can body is stripped from the turning dies, and then moved to open position `to pass over the flange.

6. Aflanging head for can bodies including a moving support, a sleeve mounted on said support, a stationary cam for moving the sleeve endivise as the support moves, a reciprocating member located Within said sleeve, means reciprocating said member as the support moves, a flange 'turning die carried by said member, a sectional bumper ring carried by said sleeve,said die operating upon the reciprocation thereof to simultaneously form a flange all the Way aroundthe end of the can body, said bumper ring having means for limiting the Width of the turned flange, means cooperating with the Hanging head carrying the die for engaging both faces of the flange and shaping the same into a predetermincd form, means for moving the sections of the bumper ring to closed position around the can body and to open position to permit the ring to pass over the flange, said sectional bumper ring being timed so as to remain substantially in closed position, until the can body is stripped from the turning dies and then moved to open position to pass over the Hange, said means for operating the sleeve and the means for operating the member carrying the turning die being timed so that said bumper ring is moved to closed position before the turning die completes its movement which turns the flange, so that the flange striking the inner surface of the bumper ring is limited. v

7. A Hanging head for can bodies including a moving support, a sleeve mounted on said support, a stationary cam for moving the sleeve endivise as the support moves, a reciprocating member located WithinA said sleeve, means reciprocating said member as the support moves, a flange turning die carried by said member, a sectional bumper ring carried by said sleeve, said die operating upon the, reciprocation thereof to simultaneously form a flange all the Way around the end of the can body, said bumper ring having means for limiting the Width of the turned flange, means cooperating With the Hanging head carrying the 'die for engaging both faces of the flange and shaping the same into a predetermined form, means for moving the sections of the bumper ring to closedposition around the can body and to open position to permit the ring to pass over the flange, said sectional bumper ring being timed so as to remain substantially in closed position, until the can body is stripped from the turning dies and then moved toopen position to pass over the flange, said means for operating the sleeve and the means for operating the member cariying the turning die being timed so that said bumper .ring is moved to closed position before the turning die completes its movement which turns the Harige, so that the flange striking the inner surface of the bumper ring is limited, and so that said bumper ring is forced against th-e face of the flange adjacent thereto and caused to force the flange into contact with the Wall on the flange turning die whereby said fiange is shaped to a predetermined form.

8.*A Hanging head for can bodies including a moving support, a sleeve mounted on said support, a stationary cam for moving the sleeve endvvise as the support moves, a reciprocating member located within said sleeve, means reciprocating said member as the support moves, a flange turning die carried by said member, a sectional bumper ring carried by said sleeve, said die operating upon the reciprocation thereof to simultaneously form a flange all the way around the end of the can body, said bumper ringhaving means for limiting the Width of the turned flange, means cooperating with the Hanging 'head carrying the die for engaging both faces of the flange and shaping the same into a predotermined form, means for moving the sections of the bumper ring to closed position around the can body and to open position to permit the ring to pass over the flange, said sectional bumper ring being timed so as to remain substantially in closed position, until the can body is stripped from the turning 'dies and then moved to open position to pass over the flange, said means for operating the sleeve and the means for operating the member carrying the turning die being timed so that said bumper ring is moved to closed position before the turning die rcompletes its movement which turns the flange, so that the flange striking the inner surface of the bumper ring is limited, and so that said bumper ring is forced against the face of the flange adjacent thereto and caused to force the flange into Contact with the wall on the flange turning die whereby said flange is shaped to a predetermined form, said bumper ring being proportioned and shaped at the inner face thereof so as to engage the flange throughout substantially the entire Width thereof and extent thereof.

9. A flanging head for can bodies including a moving support, a sleeve mounted on said support, a stationary cam for moving the sleeve endwise as the support moves, a reciprocating memberl located within said sleeve, means reciprocating said member as the support moves, a flange turning die carried by said member, a sectional bumper ring carried by said sleeve, said die operating upon the reciprocation thereof to simultaneously form a flange all the way aroundl the end of the can body, said bumper ring having means for limiting the width of the turned flange, means cooperating with the flanging head carrying the die for engaging both faces of the flange and shaping the same into a predetermined form, means for moving the sections of the bumper ring to closed position around the can body and to open position to permit the ring to pass over the flange, said sectional bumper ring being timed so as to remain substantially in closed position until the can body is stripped from the turning dies and then moved to open position to pass over the flange, said means for operating the sleeve and the means for operating the member carrying the turning die being timed so that said bumper ring is moved to closed position before the turning die completes its movement which turns the flange, so that the flange striking the inner surface of the bumper ring is limited, and so that said bumper ring is forced against the face of the flange adjacent thereto and caused to force the flange into Contact with `the Wall on the flange turning die whereby said flange is Shaped to a predetermined forni, and means for opening and closing the sections of the bumper ring, said means being timed so as to cause the bumper ring to engage the flange at one end of thecan body and strip the other end of the can body from the turning die after which the sections of the bumper ring are moved to open position so as to pass over the flange and allow the can body to be ejected from the machine.

10. The method of forming flanges on a can body comprising forcing a turning die into the open end of aI can body for Simul` taneously turning the metal at the end of the can body outwardly into a flange, engaging the edge of the forming flange for limiting the width of the same, and simultaneously engaging both faces of the flange after it is formed for shaping the same to a predetermined form.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

HENRY A. FINK.y 

